Li Guangi looked at the mischievous smile in Chu Yunge’s eyes. He could not afford to think too much and, to cover his embarrassment, could only kneel on one knee on the ground and pretend to smooth out her skirt hem for her.
Li Guanning glanced at Li Guangi, then raised the book: “Your Highness.”
“Thank you. Such a good girl.”
Chu Yunge took the book and patted her head.
Li Guanning took another glance at Li Guangi before leaving again.
Li Guangi had originally only meant it as a cover, but at this moment, he truly focused on smoothing out the wrinkles he had pressed into her skirt hem.
Chu Yunge watched the serious Li Guangi and leisurely sat back down.
“It seems you still remember This Princess’s promise from last time.”
As she spoke, she cupped his face and leaned down to kiss Li Guangi.
Li Guangi suddenly remembered the words the Princess had said in the study last time, and now they had truly kissed.
Whatever the Princess said, whether in jest or in earnest, she really followed through.
So she kept her word, she had not lied, and she really liked him.
Emotion completely overwhelmed reason in Li Guangi. He allowed himself to sink, tilting his head up to gaze at Chu Yunge with a smile.
The smile was still like a freshly bloomed pear blossom, fresh and warm.
But this time, the smile was sweeter, with delight and affection at the corners of his brows and in his eyes.
He silently called out ‘Your Highness’ and grasped her sleeve, his eyes full of reluctance.
But when he heard his little sister’s voice outside, he let go.
Chu Yunge looked at him and untied a jade pendant from her waist.
“I just heard that you were poisoned into muteness. I considered whether I should avenge you, but then I thought that revenge is still more satisfying when you take it yourself.”
“This Princess will not interfere, but she permits you to act freely and borrow This Princess’s authority.”
Li Guangi stared at the jade pendant before him, his eyes filled with surprise and delight.
Apart from identity tokens, jade pendants nowadays had regulated patterns. Certain designs and motifs could only be used by the imperial clan.
Thus, jade pendants often symbolized status as well.
A jade pendant that represented status was naturally precious. How could it be given away lightly?
The Princess knew his lowly status and had placed him in her heart, which was why she gave it to him.
Li Guangi looked at Chu Yunge. Suddenly impulsive, he hugged her while still half-kneeling.
He hugged her tightly, a thousand words conveyed in that single embrace.
Chu Yunge slightly raised her hands and looked down at Li Guangi: “So moved?”
Li Guangi did not answer and simply held her quietly.
He thought that he was done for. He had truly fallen for the Princess.
With a Princess like this, who could not like her?
Even if she had so many favorites, he could no longer control his heart.
But so be it if he liked her. Regardless of the future, at this moment, he did not want to think too much. He only wanted to hold her quietly.
While she still spared time to look at him, he would seize the chance to cherish their time together.
Li Guangi held her for a good while.
Chu Yunge, held in his arms, felt her heart calm down as well.
She had originally planned to leave and check if Yan Feng had woken up yet, but this hug trapped her in a gentle snare.
Li Guangi was also very happy. He personally made the noodles for Chu Yunge as she had requested. As the sky gradually darkened and the servants busied themselves tidying the bedroom, sweat began to bead in his palms.
Tonight, would the Princess stay?
At the same time, Xie Wangze was listening to Si Wei’s report.
“When this subordinate arrived, Your Highness was at Cloud-Gazing Pavilion accompanying Young Master Li.”
As for how she was accompanying him, Si Wei truly did not want to say.
He had come under the pretext of seeking aid to find the Princess, only to be stopped by Jimo, who would not allow him to disturb her.
He did not dare ask too much, but during his plea to be seen, he had vaguely heard some noises that Young Master absolutely did not want to know about.
Si Wei feared Xie Wangze would ask how she was accompanying him, so he hesitated at the wall corner, nearly discovered by Li Guanning.
Si Wei broke out in a cold sweat. If he had been caught, it would have been trouble.
Fortunately, Xie Wangze did not ask.
The moment Xie Wangze heard “Young Master Li,” the image of Chu Yunge kissing Li Guangi flashed through his mind from before.
He did not want to humiliate himself.
In short, after he had been locked up, Chu Yunge had never thought of him.
She did not like him.
His heart ached densely, unbearably.
Ju An and Si Wei supported him. After a moment, they reacted: “This is bad. Young Master’s poison has flared up.”
“What do we do?”
“Go to Princess Mansion for help!”
Xie Wangze heard them, but he did not stop it, because he did indeed need the antidote.
He had tried every way to get out but failed, so he could only seek aid. If nothing else, he had to stop her from fooling around with Li Guangi.
He had once said he did not mind whom she liked or favored, but now… he minded.
Forget the poison for now. He had not fully forgotten her yet and truly could not accept her staying overnight at Cloud-Gazing Pavilion.
Moreover, his poison had flared up. There was nothing wrong with seeking help.
Xie Wangze told himself: I am not competing for favor. I am the Prince Consort. We have bowed to heaven and earth together. I am not like those seductive cheap whores.
Pei Ji was equally tormented that day.
He had spent the entire day in agony. First, Yan Feng had a fever but still did not forget to seduce Chu Yunge.
It was not easy for Yan Feng to finally fall into a quiet sleep, only for Chu Yunge to then meet those favorites from Caifeng Courtyard.
She had released some of the favorites, but he had not expected the ones left to be so shameless.
Pei Ji had sharp ears and heard the noises from the Princess’s Bedroom. Unable to hold back, he sneaked onto the roof to peek.
At that sight, he nearly spat blood.
Now he knew what those seductive cheap whores were like.
Gritting his teeth, he returned to his courtyard. Then he looked left and right in the bronze mirror, convinced he was no worse than those people.
“No matter how many tricks you have, no one is taking tonight from me!”
In the end, Wen Xin watched as his family’s Little Marquis began hopping about again, bathing and dressing up, even rarely matching his clothes. He felt his outfit lacked something and wanted to commission new ones.
After dressing up splendidly, with the sun still off to the west, he headed to the Princess’s Bedroom.
Those favorites had all left, but the Princess was not in the bedroom.
“Her Highness went to Cloud-Gazing Pavilion.”
Wen Xin sighed inwardly for the Little Marquis as he reported.
The Little Marquis had previously missed the wedding due to an incident. Not only had he become a concubine, but his relationship with the Princess was poor, and he had still developed feelings.
Now it was even worse. Because of his impulsive words offending the Princess, the competition was growing fiercer.
Everyone had their own tricks. What did the Little Marquis have to compete with them?
“Little Marquis, perhaps we should head back first?”
Face reality and cut losses in time, Little Marquis.
But Pei Ji did not listen: “Why should I go back first? I’ll wait right here. Tonight is my turn for the antidote. No matter what, I must get the antidote.”
Then he plopped down and refused to move.
He would see when she returned.
He waited and waited, until night fell, and still Chu Yunge did not return.
Pei Ji glared at the door until his eyes grew sore. He closed them to rest for a bit.
She really did like Li Guangi.
But even after dinner, she did not return. Did she plan to stay overnight at Cloud-Gazing Pavilion?
She clearly knew he was coming tonight for the antidote, yet…
Thinking of her intimacy with Li Guangi last time, Pei Ji hated that he could not go stab Yan Feng right then, so Chu Yunge would have no more mind for Li Guangi.
She could use Yan Feng to distract Chu Yunge, but not him. This plunged Pei Ji into low spirits.
A person only had one heart. Was putting one person in it not enough?
Why could Chu Yunge value and like Yan Feng, also like Li Guangi, and even like those favorites?
How could her heart be so vast?
Since it was so vast, why could she not remember that he was waiting for the antidote too?
Pei Ji’s mood sank lower and lower. In the end, in broken desperation, he thought that if she would not come to him, he would go to her.
If she dared stay overnight, he would sleep right between her and Li Guangi!
If she did not care for him, he could only care for himself.
As Pei Ji thought this, his face grew darker and darker, the pressure around him lower and lower.
The newly assigned maid in the bedroom who had just come to serve: “…”
Why did it feel like the Little Marquis was about to kill someone, yet also like he was aggrieved to the point of tears?